LOS ANGELES, CA – An unusual traffic hazard slowed motorists on the 57 Freeway in Los Angeles County after dozens of live catfish somehow ended up scattered across several lanes of the roadway, prompting a response from the California Highway Patrol.
Officers from the CHP Baldwin Park Area responded to the southbound 57 Freeway near the Temple Avenue onramp in Pomona after receiving a report of fish creating a hazard for passing vehicles.
When officers arrived, they found 31 live catfish on the roadway.
CHP later described the fish as “making their way across the roadway,” while joking about the unusual call on social media with the phrase, “Fish and CHiPs.”
Despite the lighthearted description, animals and objects scattered across freeway lanes can create a serious hazard for motorists who may brake abruptly or make sudden lane changes to avoid them.
Officers worked to collect all 31 catfish from the traffic lanes and move them to the right shoulder, clearing the immediate danger to drivers.
Animal control personnel were then called to assist.
Of the 31 catfish recovered, authorities said 29 were successfully rescued and relocated. Two of the fish did not survive.
Information gathered by Street People indicates CHP did not explain how such a large group of live catfish ended up on the freeway, including whether they had fallen from a vehicle or were being transported before reaching the roadway.
No crashes or injuries were reported in connection with the fish.
The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of CHP’s Baldwin Park Area, whose officers patrol major freeway corridors across the eastern San Gabriel Valley. The agency says its territory includes the heavily traveled 57 and 60 freeway interchange, which it describes as one of California’s busiest.
The response also illustrates the wide range of roadway hazards CHP officers can encounter beyond conventional crashes, stalled vehicles or debris. California Highway Patrol policy assigns the agency traffic enforcement and related responsibilities on the state’s freeway system.
For motorists encountering an unexpected obstruction, CHP emphasized that the safest response is not to make a sudden maneuver or attempt to handle the situation themselves from an active traffic lane.
“Remember: If you see something unusual in the roadway, slow down, move over when safe, and contact emergency services,” CHP said.
Drivers can also check active incidents through the agency’s official CHP Traffic Incident Information system, which provides information reported through California Highway Patrol communications centers.
Authorities did not say where the surviving catfish were ultimately taken after being removed from the freeway.
For 29 of them, however, the unusual trip across the 57 ended safely — and away from Southern California traffic.
